Sticks and Stones
by ass-sassin
Summary: Up until that day, he'd called her ugly because he couldn't bear the embarrassment of calling her anything else.


_**A/N: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke.**_

* * *

The first time he called her ugly, they were five, and she'd taken the last biscuit from the bag they were sharing. She offered to split it with him, but his young self could've sworn she'd taken at least _three_ more than him beforehand – and so he'd refused, and invoked her fury.

She yelled and screeched that he was the worst friend ever, and he'd spat spiteful words back until – "_-you're ugly!-"_ – to which she'd called him a _"honey fried walnut douche pickle!"_ and kicked him in the nether regions so hard that he couldn't move for an hour.

He didn't know whether it was his painful experience or her reaction that made him vow to never say she was ugly again.

As they grew older, step by step, side by side – he couldn't help notice that she was anything but. He never said as much, of course – he only ever did things he could win, and he'd never voiced it aloud… but Satsuki could be the one to ensure he lost at more than a game of basketball against Kuroko.

Back in Teiko when they were only young, she told him she was in love with Kuroko. It was then that he abandoned all vows and slandered her looks with his foul words – he wanted to convince Kuroko that she was horrid and worthless, because he couldn't stand to see her dating the Phantom Man.

The insults only ended after Satsuki ran home crying during practice, after Kuroko had approached him and told him that he wasn't interested in Momoi-san in the least.

When Daiki told his childhood friend what Kuroko had said, she cried so hard that he almost regretted it.

Almost.

* * *

"Your turn, Mukkun!" exclaimed Satsuki when the bottle pointed his way.

"Ehhhh… hmm… Ao-chin."

Daiki rolled his eyes from his position on the couch in Kagami's living room, "What?"

"Truth or dare?"

He paused – and because he wasn't bothered to do something stupid Murasakibara would suggest, he said, "Truth."

The purple haired giant was at a loss – obviously having expected Daiki to choose dare as the others had. He recovered after a moment and yawned, "Who would Ao-chin want to date?"

For a horrifying moment his eyes darted to where Satsuki sat (conveniently close to Kuroko – and thankfully, she was busy playing with Nigou to feel his eyes on her).

"No one," he grunted, feeling heat rush to his cheeks and hoping his dark complexion would help conceal the influx of colour.

Midorima pushed his glasses further up his nose.

Akashi smirked.

Kagami and Kise sniggered.

Kuroko stared at Satsuki as though to encourage her to look up and see her friend's face.

"Awh, but you and Momoicchi would be the cutest couple!" Daiki thought he might punch Kise in the mouth.

"Silly Ki-chan!" laughed Satsuki, still petting Nigou, "Dai-chan only likes pretty girls!"

It felt like a punch to the gut – did his words really make her believe she wasn't the most beautiful girl in all of Japan? Daiki was glad when Murasakibara prompted Kise to go next.

"Momoicchi!"

Her head shot up and she smiled, "Yes, Ki-chan?"

"Truth or dare?"

She paused for a moment, and brought a finger to tap at her chin thoughtfully. "Let me see… dare!"

A wicked grin flashed across Kise's face, and then he said, "I dare you to kiss…"

Daiki felt himself hoping to hear his name, and for the one of the first times in his life he prayed to the gods to help him just this once –

"…me!"

Satsuki laughed and shook her head, "You're so childish!" but she shuffled over to him on her hands and knees, nudging Daiki with her hip as she crept past.

He wanted to look away, but he couldn't.

Satsuki pressed forward, put her hands on Kise's shoulders and dropped an innocent kiss to his cheek. A sharp burst of fire flared within Daiki as he saw Kise grin like a fool.

"Not a kiss like _that_, Momoicchi! I meant one like _this_," he said before he brought a hand to the back of her head and-

Kuroko's head blocked his vision and he wasn't sure whether he wanted to hug or punch his friend from the intrusion.

"Breathe, Aomine-kun," murmured the boy quietly enough for the others not to hear.

It was a struggle – Daiki tried to supress the urge to smash Kise's face into the ground. And then he heard her shout –

"…_you knobbly pickled wiener, I was saving that for Dai-"_

- but Kuroko moved his head then, and Daiki saw her slap a hand to her mouth as her face glowed pink.

Kise's laughter – "You're so funny, Momoicchi!" Daiki's fist went flying before he could stop it.

Later, when Kise was icing his jaw and cancelling the shoot he was supposed to attend in a few days, Daiki stood at the door, waiting for Satsuki to gather her things.

They began heading home – and that's when he decided to do it.

Slowly – carefully, he reached out and captured her small hand in his bruised one. She said nothing, but he could have sworn he saw her smiling.

* * *

Up until that day, he'd called her ugly because he couldn't bear the embarrassment of calling her anything else.

But he told her she was beautiful every day after it, because he couldn't bear the thought of her thinking she was anything but.


End file.
